Ferdinand eobdee



(No Model.)

F. ROEDER.

e SHOE STRBTGHER.

No. 373,569. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

UNITED STATES ATnNT @Frieso FERDINAND ROEDER, OF FRANKFORFONfTHE-MAIN, GERMANY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,569, dated November 22, 1887.

Application eilSeptemb-er 17, 1887. Serial No. 249,908. (No model.)

T0 @Z5 whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND Roanne, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident at Frankfort-on-theMain, Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to instruments for stretching boots or shoes.

As is well known, abnormal skin exereseences on the feet are not uncommon, especially eorns, which cause the possessor the most eX- eruciating pain. The slightest pressure upon the corn from a shoe or boot that may otherwise rit is sufficient to give rise to the most insupportable pain. lf the shoe-maker is asked to allow more room at the morbid place when making the shoe or boot, he does this in almost all casesin such a manner that, instead ofenlarging the shoe or boot only at the desired place, or providing it with a concavity, he generally takes the measure too wide and makes the shoe too large, which, besides presenting a bad appearance,y causes various inconveniences and afdictions.

The object of the present invention is therefore to render the public more or less independent of the shoe-maker in this direction and to provide for the former a means with which they can in this case obtain the necessary relief.

Figure l in the accompanying drawings represents a plan view of a shoe-stretcher constructed according to my invention, showing it contracted. Fig. 2 is a side view corresponding with Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating the act by which the stretcher is permitted to expand. Fig. 4 is a plan of the principal operative portion ofthe stretcher expanded. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the stretcher corresponding with Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

D designates a thick wire coiled at its mid'- dle, so as to form a spring, and constituting a kind of spring-tongs. The two Shanks. projecting beyond the coil are bent round to an angle at their ends, and one of them is provided with an oval disk, A, and the other with a spherical knob, B. The Shanks have the tendency to open. (See Fig. 4.)' rlhey are therefore pressed together, and are kept in this position by a clamp, G, (see Fig. 1,) put on them, which clamp C is provided -at its front end with lugs b, bent round to the shape of hooks. (See Figz.) The clamp C is provided on both sides with pins a, by means of which it rests upon the shanks of the Wire D. By pressure upon the rear end of this clamp C, which is bent upward, (see Fig. 2,) the front end thereof rises, inasmuch as the pins a then constitute a supporting-fulcrum, so that the hooks b liberate the Shanks, and the latter open by reason of their elasticity.

Prior 'to the use of this instrument the place on the shoe or boot which was to be enlarged was accurately noted. After having pressed the two shanks together, for the better introduction into the shoe or boot, and fixed them in this position by putting on the clamp, the in strument is inserted in the shoe in such a manner that the knob is in contact with the place which is to be enlarged. Vhen this is effected, the shanks are disengaged by pressure upon the rear of the clamp, so that the shanks open in the shoe. By reason of the larger surface of the plate, the pressure from the spring-Shanks will now be mainly exerted at the place ofthe shoe or boot where the knob of smaller circumference is placed, so that here a concavity of the leather is produced, the extent of which corresponds exactly t0 the size of the knob. It' the instrument is thus left through the night, or for a still longer time, in the shoe or boot, the concavity will remain after the removal of the instrument from the shoe or boot, and when the shoe or boot is used the corn will iind sufiitientv room in the concavity so as to be protected against any pressure. Should the object in view not be completely attained by a single application of the instrument, it can be obtained very soon by the repeated application of the same.

The instrument can also be used for enlarging shoes or boots at the instep. For this purpose the knob is arranged so that it can be unserewed, and after it has vbeen removed a larger plate is screwed upon the shank in its stead. As the latter plate takes its position upon the inner sole, pressure is exerted bythe IOO disk upon the upper-leather in like manner as previously by the knob, an enlargement of the same being thereby caused at the desired place.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of employing the same, what I claim, and wish to have secured to me by Letters Patent of the United States of lAmerica, 1s

1. The combination, in the boot or shoe stretcher herein described, of a spring having a broad bearing at one end and a knob or narrow bearing vat the other end, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, in the boot or shoe stretcher herein described, of a wire having a coil at the middle ofits length, formingaspring, and prolonged from said coil to form two arms, and having at the ends of said arms bear posed spring, of aclamp applied to said arms,

4for the purpose of drawing them and their bearing-surfaces toward each other, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my'name to this specification in the presence of two 3o subscribing witnesses.

` FERDINAND nonnen.

Witnesses:

' FRANZ HAssLnoHEn,

JOSEPH PATRICK 

